Leaving New Echota, heading to Rome
Before we slide a canoe into the last quarter mile of the Coosawattee River I must spend a little time telling you about New Echota.
New Echota was the capital of the Cherokee Nation from about 1825 until 1838, when the Native Americans started on their forced march to Oklahoma Territories in what is known as The Trail of Tears. The Cherokee people abandoned their council house, the tavern and all the structures — even the office (printer shop) for the Cherokee Phoenix, the first Indian-language and Cherokee newspaper.
The area at the confluence of the Coosawattee and Conasauga rivers was known as Gansagiyi and the Cherokee renamed it as New Echota in 1825, after making it the capital, in honor of their former chief town of Chota. Archeological digs have determined that various indigenous tribes lived in the same area, from time to time, for several thousand years prior to the Cherokee.
New Echota is now a state park and a historic site. It was designated in 1973 as a National Historic Landmark District. There is much to learn at New Echota and I suggest that everyone find time to visit. It is open to the public, Tuesday — Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1-5 5 p.m.
When the Coosawattee River joins the Conasauga and forms the Oostanaula River, the water now is contaminated by the “forever chemicals” found in the Conasauga that came from the textile industries in the Dalton area. Rome has just reached a settlement with Dalton and the industries that should offset the cost of upgrades to their water treatment facilities. But the water in the Oostanaula may forever be contaminated — as are the fish, plants and animals that live, swim in or drink the water, as well as the fields that are watered by irrigation from the river.
The float from the boat ramp at New Echota to the take out at Heritage Park in Rome is about a 46 mile journey, even though it is only 25 miles as the crow flies. A canoe trip from New Echota to Rome should be done over two or three days.
From the ramp at New Echota it is an 11 mile float to a public ramp at River Street in Calhoun and another 10 miles to a public ramp on Ga. 156 south and west of Calhoun. From the ramp, it is a 6 mile float through farms, fields and forests to the next major tributary, Johns Creek. Johns Creek is a very popular putand-take trout stream in Floyd County that warms too much to support trout before reaching the river.
Two miles farther downstream of Johns Creek is Ship Island, the largest island on the river. It is easy passage: Just keep the island on the left as you go downstream. You can usually find huge mussel shells on the island but please remember that this island, as well as all islands on the river, are privately owned and camping is trespassing. Five miles farther downstream, the last public ramp before Rome is at the Ga. 140 bridge.
Armuchee Creek joins the Oostanaula River about 2 miles downstream of Ga. 140. Its headwaters are fed by a couple of put-and-take trout streams and Armuchee is canoeable for the last 12 miles
or so. Woodward Creek adds flow to the Oostanaula near the island at Jones Bend and Dozier Creek adds its flow at the last island on the river.
The last streams of mentionable size to enter the river are Big Dry Creek, which originates on Berry
College, and Little Dry Creek, which forms mostly within the city limits of Rome. The distance from the Ga. 140 ramp to the Heritage Park boat ramp is 14 miles.
I hope that everyone has enjoyed the “Tributaries of the Coosa upstream of Rome” series. Next week, I will talk about trout, how and where to find them.
KIDS FISHING DAY
Kids Fishing Day returns to Rolater
Park in Cave Spring on Saturday, June 17, the day before Father’s Day. This is the 36th year the Coosa Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited has hosted the event and, over the years, well over 11,000 kids from ages 3 through 12 have fished the pond and creek. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources will stock the pond and Little Cedar Creek prior to the start of fishing. Saturday morning all age groups of kids are allowed to fish the stream
at any time.
The pond is restricted to kids fishing within their age groups: 3and 4-year-olds, 9 until 9:30 a.m.; 5- and 6-year-olds from 9:45 until 10:15; ages 7, 8 and 9 from 10:30 until 11; and ages 10, 11 and 12 from 11:15 until 11:45. All ages, 3-12, fish the pond from noon until 1 p.m.
TU MEETING
The next meeting of the Coosa Valley Chapter will be Thursday,
June 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the Rome Floyd ECO Center. Our guest speaker will be wildlife biologist Allison Melcher. She works with Georgia DNR in Game Management. Allison will talk about the tasks associated with her position and discuss the overlap with the Fisheries Division. The public is invited.